I have received numerous questions over the years from people interested in becoming expressive therapists wanting to know more about the field and job prospects. I thought I'd go ahead and share my experiences here, which I hope will be useful to anyone considering becoming an expressive therapist.

EducationThere are many different levels of expressive therapy education, but my route has been to get a masters degree in mental health counseling and expressive therapies. The big advantage there was that I could apply for masters-level counseling jobs, which are very prevalent with good job growth, and I was eligible to become licensed as a mental health counselor. My degree is now offered at Lesley University under the title "Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy." There are numerous similar programs around the country - a full listing of schools can be found at http://www.ieata.org/resorces.html

JobsMental health counseling and expressive therapy is now employed in a wide range of settings, including inpatient hospitals, community, home, or school-based counseling, office-based outpatient counseling centers, developmental disability support programs, Veterans Administration, therapeutic schools, long-term residential facilities, substance abuse rehabilitation programs, private practice.... the list goes on. Some positions are more structured with documentation, insurance authorizations, and integrated psychiatric services, while others may be less structured with more freedom to focus on building creative therapeutic relationships. Whether you prefer to specialize in one population or mix it up in various settings, there seem to be plenty of opportunities.

Expressive TherapyMy experience has been that expressive therapy is very welcome in any job as an offering that supplements my skills as a counselor. In some positions, my main role was as an expressive therapist while traditional therapy was provided by other counselors, while in other positions, I served as a mental health counselor using expressive therapy as my modality of choice. Some positions have fewer opportunities for integrating the expressive therapies, such as in one of my jobs as an intake and assessment counselor. There are some areas of the country where people seem less familiar with expressive therapy, so I have had to demonstrate my skills and educate my supervisors and peers about my work, which has been very well received. In general, expressive therapy seems to be a popular and valuable skill to have in today's job market.

The WorkBeing an expressive therapist is like having a front seat in the process of personal transformation, which to me, is exhilarating. I often tell my clients that I feel like I am surrounded by unsung heroes. Because I use the creative arts, the process is not always funneled through the chatter of mental understanding, but through the channel of images, music, poetry, or story. This means that I am basically constantly immersed in an experiential inquiry into how we are to live, given all that is. To me, it is a great privilege to spend my day in pursuit of our evolutionary capactities, since it helps me to live a more meaningful life. In the beginning, being a counselor can be emotionally overwhelming or draining at times, but with more experience, it becomes easier to hold more emotional content comfortably. I think it is important to find self-care rituals and to use them diligently, or else being a counselor can take a toll on you and others around you. It is certainly not for everyone, but for many people, including myself, it is truly a dream job.